Bowsite.com

"It is with great sadness that I inform you that Deputy Robert K. Kunze III was killed today in the line of duty. Deputy Kunze was 41 years old and a 12 year veteran of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office. Prior to his employment with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Kunze was a 6 year veteran of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office. On Sunday, September 16, 2018, at approximately 1:18 pm, deputies were dispatched to the area of 53rd Street North and 295th Street West for a suspicious character. Deputy Kunze found a subject matching the description of the suspicious character call near the intersection of 295th Street West on 21st Street North, at approximately 1:42 pm. At approximately 1:48 pm, Deputy Kunze activated the emergency button on his portable radio. Deputy Farias arrived on scene and notified dispatch a deputy was down. Deputy Kunze was transported to St. Francis by ambulance. Deputy Kunze succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at approximately 2:55 pm. The suspect that shot Deputy Kunze was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect’s name is not being released at this time. We are still currently investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting.

Please keep his family and our department in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.

He joins Officer Garrett Hull from Fort Worth Tx who was was killed on Friday and Chief Frank McClelland of the Ludowici P.D. In Georgia who died yesterday in a vehicle pursuit. Hull was killed in a gun battle with 3 armed robbery suspects......... Maybe Paul Z would like to comment on how Officer Hulls life mattered.... or the 3 pieces of shit who murdered him.

However, I think that this country can recover and overcome especially since many recognize that the majority of all law enforcement officers live by the motto "To Protect and Serve" daily...

Pennsylvania Boy Celebrates Birthday With Pizza Party For Local Police

HOPEWELL TWP. — Police cruisers from Hopewell Township, Aliquippa, state police and the Beaver County sheriff’s office lined the parking lot of Fox’s Pizza on Friday afternoon, but there was no emergency.

It was Jeffrey McCarty’s ninth birthday and his second annual police pizza party he held to celebrate his appreciation of local law enforcement.

“We don’t have a lot of family out here, but we have a lot of blue line family here,” said Ashley Matesic, Jeffrey’s mother.

More than a dozen officers showed up to give the Jeffrey gifts, eat pizza and enjoy the company of a young boy who was smiling from ear to ear at being surrounded by his heroes.

Jeffrey got to try on a bomb suit from a Allegheny County bomb squad that was also at the pizzeria.

“It was heavy, but I could manage,” Jeffrey said.

The pizza party is just one way Jeffrey shows his appreciation for local and regional police. Through the organization Jeffrey’s Joy for All Heroes, Jeffrey, who lives in Aliquippa, has given cupcakes, pendants and prayer cards to officers around the county and around the region.

“His mission is to bring joy and recognition to the past, present and future generations of law enforcement,” Matesic said.

It started after the 2016 Dallas police shooting in which officers were ambushed and fired upon at a protest against police violence. Five officers were killed and nine were injured in that incident.

Jeffrey said he saw the news coverage on the shooting and wanted to help in some way. At first, he and his mother made cupcakes and dropped them off at a few local police stations.

After his mother told him the story of St. Michael, the patron saint of law enforcement, Jeffrey wanted to incorporate that into his mission.

They ordered 600 St. Michael medallions and began passing them out to officers as they encountered them.

“It’s to make sure they stay safe every day,” Jeffrey said.

Hopewell Police Chief Brian Uhrmacher said he was touched when Jeffrey stopped by the station to drop off cupcakes and later the medallions for his officers.

“He definitely goes above and beyond,” the chief said.

Jeffrey also sends prayer and memorial cards to departments that have lost an officer in the line of duty, Matesic said. Her son has also grown close to several of the families of fallen officers.

The cards have the Bible verse John 15:13 inscribed on them: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Uhrmacher said the families appreciate the sentiment from the young boy, but the relationship he’s formed with police officers and families is reciprocal.

“It makes me feel special,” Jeffrey said.

For more information on Jeffrey’s Joy or to help him with his mission, visit jeffreysjoyforallheros

Maybe officers should stand behind their open door and use their speaker to make all occupants get out with their hands visible? I would be willing to do this.

The deputy was extremely polite and professional. We had a good chat, then he went on his way and left me to continue my search for birds. Wish I had a photo of his grin when I told him that I was just bird watching. (BTW both if my hands were leaning outside my driver side window as he approached the car)

It wasn't until later that it sunk in that he had been investigating a report from the public of a suspicious person - the exact same mission of the officer who was killed two days earlier just a few miles away.

I wondered how he could be so calm and professional. It had to be on his mind. He likely knew the officer who was killed on Sunday.

BTW, the report came from city workers who were suspicious of why someone was scoping the city sewer ponds. OTOH, I was frustrated that cities seem to keep the sewer ponds better groomed than a golf course and in the process scare off the birds I was hoping to find there.

I carry cards with me that say "Thank you for making my day brighter." The deputy seemed pleased when I gave him one.

"In his dying moments, sheriff’s Deputy Kunze saved at least two lives"